Cherryville

A vibrant and diverse community in the foothills of the Monashee Mountains, Cherryville offers fascinating places and features to explore, and some of the most beautiful scenery in British Columbia.

The small community of Cherryville was an old gold mining camp founded in the 1860s by prospectors from the California gold rush. Between 1863 and 1895, the original town that we now know as Cherryville was merely a small mining camp located within the canyon walls of Cherry Creek. It boasted a population of nearly 100 people, half of which were Chinese miners.

With more and more miners heading into Cherry Creek area, a road was built from Lumby in 1877, through Blue Springs Valley, attracting new families to the area. The community was known by the post office name of Cherry Creek, then Hilton, which remained the name of the Cherryville for many years. Cherry Creek and Cherryville were named after the wild Choke Cherries that grew along the banks of the creek.

Cherryville remains unincorporated today, and offers accommodation, two general stores, restaurants, a library, a campground, shops, and all amenities. Originally an area of orchards, ranching and logging are major industries in the community.

Blessed with beautiful rural surroundings, the recreation opportunities in the Cherryville area are many, including bird watching, gold panning, skiing, hiking, camping, and horseback tours, and excellent fishing abounds in the many creeks and rivers.

Population: 1,000

Location: Cherryville is located on Highway 6 in the North Okanagan, 14 miles (22 km) east of Lumby

Gold Panning: Visitors can pan for gold in Monashee Creek at the Goldpanner Campground, or arrange an historic ghost town tour. The remains of Chinese workings and water canals are still visible, and historic tours of the Chinese diggings, old mining equipment and mining sites are available aboard the Monashee Stage Bus. Don’t miss the annual B.C. Open Goldpanning Championships at the Gold Panner Cafe and Campgrounds – only five minutes down the highway.

Golf: There are three golf courses in the area: River Ridge Golf Course is a 9-hole, 2,650-yard golf course near the Shuswap River, between Lumby and Cherryville. The course doubles up for a par-70 game. Lumby Golf Course is a public 9-hole course boasting a leisurely pace and a view that few golf courses can match. The course operates without irrigation, as the greens are sand greens that are oiled. Coldstream Golf Course, on Dure Meadow Road between Vernon and Lumby, is a “scottish style” par-36, 2,420-yard, 9-hole course with a 250-yard driving range. Golf Vacations in British Columbia.

Recreation Sites in the area include the Shuswap Falls Picnic Area, located on the Shuswap River on Mabel Lake Road, north of Highway 6 between Cherryville and Lumby, the Shuswap River Picnic Area, 5 km west of Cherryville on Highway 6, and the Sugar Lake Picnic Site, on Sugar Lake, north of Cherryville.

Fish Hatchery: Take a Hatchery Tour of the fish incubation and rearing facilities for salmon near Shuswap Falls. Information at the Visitor Centre.

The original Richlands Schoolhouse, now used by the Seventh Day Adventist Church, is the only building left at the original Hilton site. There are still two of the old homes remaining; one at the Burnyeat Ranch, and the other at Neil place. The Hilton School, was built in 1907 and kept its name until 1948, when the new school was built beside it and renamed Cherryville School.

Cherryville Days – all of Cherryville participates in this annual community event, which has been running for more than 40 years. The many activities include logging events, a parade, an evening dance and Heritage Night.

Northeast of Cherryville, in the Monashee Mountains, Monashee Provincial Park is a wilderness area of mountains, lakes, forests, and important habitat for grizzly bears. The area also features some of the oldest rocks in the province and a small threatened herd of caribou. There are a number of trails for exploring this wonderful park. Hikers can use the wilderness campsites at Spectrum Lake to take day or longer trips. There is no road access to Monashee Provincial Park. Go northeast from Cherryville up Sugar Lake Road to Spectrum Creek, where there is a parking lot. The climb to the park is a fairly stiff 12 km hike.

A popular and scenic spot is Echo Lake Provincial Park east of Lumby, with its large group campground, boat rentals, cabins, and campsites. Anglers will find a cheery welcome, information on rainbow trout fishing, licence, boat rental, bait, and tackle from the folk at the park.

Sugar Lake lies in comparative isolation surrounded by the rugged beauty of the Monashee Mountains. Cabins, campsites and lodges are located on the lake, and the main forestry campsite provides a boat launch facility. Lake fishing is fair through most of the summer and fall, yielding primarily trout and kokanee, though larger trout and dolly varden are taken each year. Numerous hiking trails from the lake to the upper river are provided. Access is via Sugar Lake Road, north of Cherryville.

Birdwatching: Birders are sure to enjoy great birdwatching in the Monashees. During the summer months Mabel Lake Provincial Park allows excellent viewing of Swainson’s Thrush, Western Flycatchers, Osprey and Bald Eagles. Rawlings Lake is a nesting area for Ruddy Ducks, Black Terns and Sandhill Cranes, and many other species of birds can be seen along Creighton Valley Road (Thrush, Dippers and Loons), at Sugar Lake (Barred Owls, Bobolink and Mountain Bluebird), and Ptarmigan and plenty of Marmots in the amazing Monashee Provincial Park. British Columbia is one of the richest wildlife viewing areas in Canada, with diverse and extraordinary creatures ranging from Aise Swallowtails, and Green Herons, to Trumpeter Swans. This area is no exception, and wildlife is abundant in the picturesque countryside.

Silver Star Provincial Park in the Shuswap Highlands is home to Silver Star Mountain Resort, the most northerly winter playground in the Okanagan. Skiers and snowboarders will find 115 designed trails and 2,491 feet (760 m) of vertical drop in which to defy gravity. One of the most popular ski resorts in BC, the park and resort are located northeast of Vernon on Hwy 97, then east on the well-marked Silver Star Road, for a total distance of 22 km. Skiing & Winter Activities in the Okanagan.

Cross-country skiers receive just as much welcome at Silver Star as do other winter enthusiasts. Beginning from the trailhead at the entrance to the resort, the 37 kilometres of tracked and groomed trails fan out through the park. An additional 50 km of groomed trails lead through the adjacent Sovereign Lake area. The trailhead for the Sovereign Lake cross-country area is located just west of the entrance to the resort and has its own parking area. A fee is charged for cross-country skiing here and at the resort.

Cat skiing is available in the famous Monashee Mountain Range for powder skiing enthusiasts. The terrain is on Tsuius Mountain and associated peaks, nestled in the heart of the Monashee, with over 1,520 vertical metres (5,000 feet) of high altitude bowls, mid altitude glades, and the Monashee range special; steep tree skiing to the valley floor. The trailhead is located 40 km north of Cherryville.

Dogsledding: Experience one of the oldest and most Canadian forms of winter adventure and transportation; dog-powered travel! Dogsledding rides and tours are available, as well as Skijoring, where a cross-country skier is pulled by one to three trained huskies in harnesses. Sign up for the winter ride of your life, with an energetic team of cuddly and hardworking Malamute/Siberian Huskies who love their job.

Snowmobiling: Seldom is there a shortage of snow in the mountains in the Lumby and Monashee area, guaranteeing excellent snowmobiling conditions. The Pinnacle and Monashee Mountains, along with Silver Star provide great snowmobiling areas, but almost any side road will lead you into open areas of cut blocks.

Canoeing & Kayaking in the Monashee can be a real adventure. Mabel Lake and Sugar Lake offer canoeists many beaches that are secluded and off the beaten path. If it is white water you are after, BC Hydro operates a canoe launch on the Shuswap River, complete with a maintained parking area, picnic tables and a large map of the canoe route, from midway between Sugar Lake and Shuswap River.

Hanggliding & Paragliding: Nearby Lumby offers a public hang gliding launch site in the Trinity Valley at Defies Creek, known locally as Coopers Launch. Saddle Mountain is also a great launch site, but is restricted to those accompanied by a local pilot. The 1995 Canadian Nationals were held in Lumby, and at least one major competition is held annually, featuring the top hang gliders in Canada.

To the west of Cherryville is the quaint and friendly little town of Lumby, nestled amongst valleys and rich farmland and known as the Gateway to the Monashee. The picturesque Coldstream, Trinity and Creighton valleys all converge in Lumby, and the awe-inspiring Monashee Mountain range and the varied landscape of streams and lakes beckons the avid outdoor enthusiast.

Nestled on the Lower Arrow Lake to the east of Cherryville is Needles, the western ferry landing for the ferry service across Arrow Lake to Fauquier on the eastern shore of the lake.

Circle Tours: See the best of the area on Okanagan and Kootenay Rockies Circle Tour. Travel the sunny interior of British Columbia, north through the Okanagan to Sicamous, following Highway 1 into the mountains of the BC Rockies. From Golden, head south through the Columbia Valley to Creston, and west through the Southern Okanagan, starting and ending your sun-drenched voyage in Osoyoos, the place where two lakes come together. Circle Tours in British Columbia.

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